1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of work implements. More particularly, the present invention is directed to work implements that may be attached to motor vehicles which can be manipulated to perform useful work.
2. Description of Prior Art
Work implements that are used with motor vehicles are well known in the art. These range from snowplow blades to fork lifts to lift platforms to front end loader buckets and the like. These implements can be attached to special purpose heavy duty machinery, or to small single purpose machinery, or to general purpose machinery, such as automobiles, pickup trucks, or garden tractors.
A typical work implement typically has two degrees of motion: vertical movement and pivotal movement. This is most commonly seen on a show plow blade. Snowplow blades known in the art are attached to the front of a vehicle, such as a pickup truck, by a triangular frame that is attached to the undercarriage of the front end of the vehicle. The triangular frame attaches to the back side of the snowplow blade at a single point. The snowplow blade is capable of pivoting at the connection point; the frame is also capable of raising and lowering the snowplow blade vertically.
A work implement such as lifting forks typically has even fewer degrees of motion. A lifting fork can be raised and lowered. In some applications the length of the lifting forks can be elongated or shortened. Similarly, a front end loader bucket can be raised and lowered, and pivoted to dump its load.
However, none of the work implements known in the art combine lifting and pivoting with lateral movement. That is, the implement remains fixedly oriented to the vehicle with regard to lateral movement, resulting in no lateral movement of the implement relative to the vehicle. Thus, a vehicle carrying a snowplow blade can only plow snow located directly in front of it; to plow snow located to one side the vehicle must be repositioned. This is problematic, for example, when attempting to remove snow that has built up into very high banks on the side of a road. Large, industrial snowplows have offset snowplow blades that extend laterally from the vehicle, to accomplish this task. However, a small plow vehicle, such as a pickup truck, cannot get behind a high snow bank to push it aside; the volume of snow is too great. Similarly, a vehicle carrying lifting forks must align directly behind the object to be lifted; if the object is off to one side, the vehicle must be repositioned. Also, if the load need be placed to one side, the vehicle must be repositioned. The same goes for front end loader buckets, and the like.
In addition to the limitation of movement of the implement, know implement support devices are extremely heavy. A typical snowplow blade attachment frame is so heavy, for example, that attaching one to a pickup truck often voids the vehicle's manufacturer's warranty. Moreover, such devices are designed to be attached only to the front end of the carrying vehicle. This limits the possible configurations available for the implement.
It is therefore shown that there is a need for an improved implement support device that can support and manipulate useful implements over an extended range of dimensions, including lateral movement of the implement relative to the carrying vehicle.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved implement support device that can support and manipulate useful implements over an extended range of dimensions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved implement support device that can move a useful implement laterally relative to the carrying vehicle.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved implement support device that can support and manipulate useful implements over an extended range of dimensions simultaneously.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved implement support device that can support and manipulate useful implements both vertically and laterally substantially simultaneously.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved implement support device that is light weight.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved implement support device that can be attached to the front end, the back end, or the side of a vehicle.
Other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent from the description that follows.